


Do You See Me?

by blushing_pretzel



Series: In Which She Lived [4]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Addiction, Auror Harry Potter, Auror Ron Weasley, Cliche, Denial of Feelings, Female Harry Potter, Friends to Lovers, Loss of Virginity, Miscarriage, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Sirius Black Adopts Harry Potter, Sirius Black Lives, There's gonna be sad stuff, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, marriage law, not necessarily a healthy relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-06
Updated: 2020-11-14
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:26:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27415708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blushing_pretzel/pseuds/blushing_pretzel
Summary: Mary has made questionable choices. She's the first to admit that. Like that time she and Ron failed to inform Kingsley (and the rest of the Auror department) they were going undercover. Or the time they didn't open the fridge for two weeks because she didn't want to go near the spoiled milk. Or the time she said yes to a date with George and ended up in a relationship she didn't want to be in. Or the time she charmed her hair blue and now there is a permanent streak of it that just won't go away.But this, this takes the cake.She's going to marry Ron. Her best friend. Her just a friend. Her flatmate. Her better half. How was she going to act like she didn't have a hand in their pairing?And on top of all that, how the hell were they supposed to have a kid together when they can barely keep a goldfish alive?
Relationships: Angelina Johnson/George Weasley, Harry Potter/George Weasley, Harry Potter/Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy
Series: In Which She Lived [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1167038
Comments: 6
Kudos: 34





	1. Prologue

Mary knew being called to Kingsley’s office was never good. In the past five years as an Auror, almost every time she’d landed in there it was due to her more extreme methods of catching dark wizards. Few times it had been because her and Ron were being sent on a long-term mission and had to go over the gravity of the case. Only once had she been called in there for a reason not pertaining to work- and it had been about the third anniversary of the end of the war. And judging by the fact Kingsley didn’t call Ron along with her, it was definitely not pertaining to work and the car he crashed in Wales last week.

After making her way past security and his assistants and secretaries, she stood in front of his office door nervously. She waited patiently after knocking, shuffling her feet and chewing her lip. If her mostly reddish-brown hair wasn’t in a plait, she’d be tugging at strands. All she could do was hope that it was nothing serious.

Her hopes fell when Kingsley opened the door with a grim face. He sighed as he spoke to her in a tired tone, “Amaryllis, come. Sit. We’ve got important business to discuss.”

“What’s going on?” She asked as soon as he closed the door behind her, too nervous to sit.

“You need to swear to secrecy, Mary. No one can know that you’re learning this now. I’m not even supposed to tell you, but I believe the Ministry owes you at least this,” Kingsley walked around and sat his desk, rubbing his face with both hands.

“Of course, Kingsley,” She agreed, worry etched on her face as she sat down finally, tense.

“Wizengamot is reinstating the Marriage and Child Act,” Kingsley said, knowing better than to beat around the bush.

Mary felt her face pale. She knew about it. After the Goblin Wars, they had to enact it in order to save the wizarding world- there had been less than twenty magical births in the fifth year following the war. Marriages were assigned and every pairing had to have at least three children. It had worked and was the reason their population was as large as it was.

“How many births this year?” Mary asked.

“We’ve only just hit 13. 17 with muggleborn births.”

Her eyes widened, “Last year?”

“Total was 24,” Kingsley admitted.

“Oh Merlin,” She breathed out.

“I know,” He nodded, “If we don’t do something, we’ll die out.”

“Hence the reinstatement,” She sighed, “When is it being enacted?”

“Early next week. We’re announcing it tomorrow and everyone is being matched as we speak. Matches are being sent a few days after we announce it.”

“Why are you telling me King? I don’t have a choice in this, and this isn’t something I should try and stop,” She snapped. “Are you just trying to upset me?”

“No, Mary,” Kingsley said quickly, “No. I’m trying to give you a choice, okay? We all are.”

“A choice?” She looked at him suspiciously.

“Yes. A choice. You know I can’t get you out of this, but I can make it easier for you,” He explained slowly.

Her eyes widened, “You mean… you mean that you’re going to let me choose who?”

He nodded, “I’d need to know today. I’m sorry it’s last minute, but I’ve only got so much weight in this situation and I’m using it all. Everyone will look to you as an example and you should be with a person you’re comfortable with.”

Mary nodded once. She already knew exactly who she wanted to choose. She also knew who she should choose.

“I’m assuming you’ll be choosing George,” Kingsley prompted, grabbing a quill and inking it, ready to write it down.

Mary winced internally. She should choose him. She was dating him after all. He’d pined after her for years and she’d finally agreed earlier this year. Everyone had wanted it to happen.

But Mary didn’t have it in her to marry him, bare his children.

“No, not George,” She said quickly.

Kingsley studied her.

“Who, Mary?”

“Ron,” She blurted out, “Ronald Weasley.”

Kingsley hesitated to write, “Mary, are you sure? Wizengamot would be willing to grant you marriage to George.”

“No. I want Ron,” She admitted, voice tight with an emotion that could only be described as longing, “Please, King, you can never tell him I chose this.”

“It’s stays between us,” Kingsley agreed, “I understand.”

“Thank you, for everything,” She whispered.

“Of course, Amaryllis,” He smiled sadly before becoming business-like again, “Now, to avoid suspicion, when anyone in your department asks why I wanted to see you, I was discussing the car Ronald crashed last week.”

Mary nodded, mind drifting into thought about the gravity of this situation.

What had she just gotten herself into?


	2. i. Butterflies and Hurricanes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title of this chapter is a song title. Brownie points to whoever knows the artist without looking it up!

Ron couldn’t quite pin down the moment the codependency started.

If he was being honest, it started the moment he poked his head into her compartment on the Hogwarts Express and asked to sit with her. But the first time he’d noticed it… well, he’d have to say it was when Professor Lupin, before he was Remus to them, found out Mary was sleeping in Ron’s bed more than half the nights. Professor McGonagall had been horrified until Mary had explained she’d been having too many nightmares about the dementors. While Minerva hadn’t been happy with the situation and took off many house points, she let it slide given the circumstances.

The first time the codependency had been an issue, though, was sixth year. Lavender loathed Mary, and Mary loathed Lavender. It wasn’t that Mary had been jealous, no, it had been that Lavender was jealous and wanted Mary to back off. Mary had originally been thrilled to have Lavender in her best friend’s life, but it took only one, “ _Back off my boyfriend or we’ll have a problem_ ,” for Mary to be fed up. Ron had been less than thrilled when he found Mary and Lavender with fists full of each other’s hair with Neville and Hermione desperately tried to break it up and Ginny cheering Mary on. Needless to say, Lavender wasn’t around much longer.

So, it had made sense when he and Mary got a flat right after the war. And it was a given that they’d become partners as soon as they were done with their accelerated Auror training. They never spent more than a few hours apart anymore. He and Mary did everything together, with the longest they’d been apart were those few weeks every summer until Sirius had adopted her. Their summer before sixth year had been their best, exploring the muggle world with Hermione. (In secret of course, Molly and Sirius would’ve had heart attacks had they known just what the trio got up to.)

He knew Mary well. Better than he knew himself. So he knew that she wasn’t exactly happy in a relationship with George. But she’d told him weeks ago that she was content. No other man would have a remote understanding of why she and Ron couldn’t be apart- not after what they’d been through together. George didn’t get jealous that Mary slept in Ron’s bed. He didn’t get angry when Mary would cancel a date in favor of spending time with Ron. He knew they needed each other. After hearing Mary and Ron scream for each other in the dead of night in the days following the final battle, everyone could glean just how bad it had been.

Ron was ripped from his thoughts as Mary came back to their office, flopping down into her desk chair. She looked tired, to say the least. Her nightmares had been bad last night. They always were as the end of October approached. She took off her glasses and rubbed her hands down her face, letting her fingers brush gently against the scar on her forehead.

“You okay, Mate?” Ron asked, his voice rough in an attempt to keep the true worry he felt down.

She looked over at him, almost as if just now realizing he was there. She sent him a smile, the corners her eye crinkling slightly- something that had developed in recent years as she had begun to laugh and smile as often as she could.

“I’m just fine, but you, on the other hand, need to explain to Kingsley why you didn’t tell him about the car you crashed in front of those muggles,” She said.

Ron grimaced. “Shit, what’d you tell him?”

“That you’d explain. You and I both know I wouldn’t have come out with any decent excuse.” Mary shrugged, swallowing any thought of the actual conversation she’d had.

A grin grew on his face. “This is exactly why we shouldn’t be questioned separately. Does he want to see me now? I think I can have a decent excuse by the time I get to his office.”

Mary stopped him before he got up. “Just write up a report, yeah? He’s got a meeting with the Wizengamot.”

His eyes widened. “He does? Did he tell you what about?”

“No, but it seemed serious.” She hated how easily the lie rolled off her tongue. “He said something about an announcement in the paper tomorrow.”

“Can’t be that bad,” He said, “He would’ve told you if it was.”

“Exactly,” She agreed, her anxiety seeping through into her words.

( _It is that bad. And he did tell me_.)

He gave her the smile that he used to reassure her, to soothe her in the moments where she was unsure of herself and the world around her.

“It’ll be okay, Mate,” He said and threw a paper airplane at her.

She rolled her eyes as he turned back to his work. There was a smudge of ink on his forehead, hidden under his hair, rubbed there when he was in deep concentration. Mary could also see a bit of ink on his ear lobe, right where he tugs when thinking of the right words for a report. There were other things that she would see if she was closer to him. Like that one splattering of freckles that she swore resembled the Sagittarius constellation. Or the tiny braid she had put in his hair, hidden under the shaggy mop she couldn’t convince him to brush without the bribe of her homemade cookies. There was also the tattoo on his shoulder, one that matched the ones she and Hermione had- a simple outline of the silhouette of Hogwarts, the place where they all found home, not just in the place, but in each other. Right now, she could see that he was due for a trim, his hair falling into his blue eyes. He also needed more sleep, based on the lines under his eyes. She would do her best to see to that tonight.

Mary focused on her work, trying to enjoy one of her last normal days with Ron. She couldn't tell if the feeling in her stomach was butterflies or hurricanes- or maybe both.

* * *

“What should we have for dinner?” Mary asked, walking side by side with Ron on the way to the floo once their workday had come to an end.

“Shouldn’t you be the one to know that? George is coming over, isn’t he?” Ron raised a brow as they reached the lengthy line. It was going fast, everyone eager to get home on the chilly Wednesday evening.

“He is? Oh. Damn,” Mary’s brows furrowed at the reminder. How she wished that she’d never said yes to that date.

Ron’s face was concerned, but before he could question it, they reached the front of the line and she stepped through the fireplace. He followed close behind, ready to question her.

“Mary, are you and George okay?” He asked as soon as he stepped into their flat, brushing the soot off his pants. He reached over and brushed the soot off her shoulder as she stared up at him.

“I don’t think I ever should’ve gone on a date with him,” She blurted out before she could stop herself.

If Mary hadn’t been so serious, she would’ve laughed at his baffled expression.

“What do you mean? You’ve been with him for five months, Mary. Did he say or do anything that made you uncomfortable?” Ron stared intensely into her eyes. She shifted under his gaze and instead concentrated on counting the freckles between his eyebrows.

“I shouldn’t have said yes to him. George is wonderful, he’s never done a thing wrong. I just… I didn’t feel like I had a choice. Molly wants me to be a Weasley so bad and George had asked right after visiting Fred during a treatment, how could I say no?” She burst out, “George needed someone.”

His face drooped, causing Mary to flinch. Somehow, his sadness was worse than any insult or punch someone could throw.

The mention of Fred could do it to anyone. Fred, while alive, had been in a coma since the final battle and had yet to respond to any magical or muggle treatment. There was enough brain activity, they’d been told, that he wasn’t brain dead.

He just didn’t wake up.

And as a result, he’d been laying in a bed in the long-term patient ward at Saint Mungo’s for the last five and a half years. George visited him nearly every day, along with Angelina Johnson. Ron, Mary, and Hermione visited him weekly, usually on Fridays before heading to the pub. Molly had become rather familiar with the Healers there, to the point that she’d made them all scarves, hats, and other knitted creations each Christmas.

“Mary,” Ron sighed out before hugging her, “Stop being so selfless.”

( _I was selfish today. I was selfish Ron, and I can’t even tell you._ )

“I can’t hurt him,” She said, burying her face into his chest.

“He’ll understand. Just tell him you don’t want to be in a relationship. It’s better to do this now instead of when he’s even more invested,” He told her.

“Do I have to do it tonight? Can we order takeout and work on our reports?” She asked, looking up at him, a begging plea written on her face.

Ron melted at the look in her eyes.

“Yes, of course. I’ll floo him now, he should still be at the shop. Order from the usual place, yeah?” He said.

“Pork fried rice and orange chicken?” She asked.

He nodded and stepped into the floo.

Mary let out a loud curse once he was gone.

“What is wrong with me?” She shouted, grabbing a pillow and throwing it across the room, “I don’t even want him like that!”

( _Yes, you do._ )

“No, I bloody don’t!”

( _Then why did you tell Kingsley wanted to marry him?_ )

“Shut up,” She tangled her fingers through her hair and clenched her fists.

Mary hated moments like these. The ones that her internal monologue told her different than what she really believed. She felt like she was drowning in her mind. She's had these battles with herself for as long as she could remember. She knew this was just herself that she was fighting- the selfish part of her that had reared its ugly head today.

Mary tore herself from the fight long enough to order the takeout. Ron, thankfully, made it home before she could lock herself in another battle, with a big smile on his face.

“What should we look at first?” He asked, pulling out the stack of paperwork, full of information regarding all the potential dark wizard sightings in the last week.

“The Surrey Incident. The one in Little Whinging,” Mary said.

He made a face. “Can’t we work on the Irish apothecary case?”

“The Surrey Incident, Ron,” She pressed, “Someone cast a Dark Mark practically down the street from where I grew up.”

“I know, Mary. But… Don’t you think we can let someone else take the case? You’re too close to this one. Hell, I’m too close to it,” He said before muttering, “I broke you out of that damn house, after all.”

She scowled at him. “Who else would take it?”

“Literally anyone in the department. Honestly, Williamson and Harper should be handling it anyway,” He reasoned, "It's the Dark Mark. Just because you and I can handle it, doesn't mean we should."

“Fine. Since when are you the one with any sense?” Mary groaned and flopped back on the sofa.

“Since I had to make up a decent excuse as to why I crashed a car,” He grinned lopsidedly. She felt the tension leave her at the look on his face. There was something absolutely heartwarming about that particular smile.

* * *

Mary was always the first to fall asleep. While it was hard to stay asleep, it was easy for her to pass out when in the presence of Ron or Hermione.

Ron liked to spend that time that she was asleep before him to study her. There was no way he couldn’t. Mary was simply beautiful. He liked seeing her at the rare time she was at peace. No, not liked it. He loved it.

It wasn’t that he was in love with her, no. He loved her of course, but Mary was his best friend. She always had been and always will be. It was a given. He didn’t want to picture a life where they couldn’t be like this, spending all their time together. Which was exactly why having his brother date her was the perfect solution. George had seen how close they’d been throughout the years, he understood just how much they’d been through. He would never take Mary away.

Looking at Mary, sleeping next to him as she nearly always did, Ron knew that the end of their codependency was nearing. Now that she wanted to end it with George, the likelihood that she would end up with someone who wouldn’t be okay with it increased. It made his heart clench. A world without Mary by his side was not a world he wanted to be in.

He couldn’t see himself not being able to study the way her lashes gently hit her cheeks as she slept. Or how her nose, small and slightly upturned, would twitch as she dreamed. Or how the stress from years of thinking she was going to die would melt away. Or how she had a tiny and singular freckle, just to the left of her nose that was shaped like a heart.

No one else would notice these things, or appreciate them, not like him. No one was good enough for her, no one would ever be. He was the first to say it.

There was a sliver of hope in his chest that Mary would not seek out another relationship after George, that she would spend the rest of her life side by side with him. It was the selfish part of him, the one that almost made him leave during the Horcrux hunt. He remembered so clearly, destroying the Horcrux and seeing an apparition of Mary, telling him that she would never love him. Hermione had been right next to him and was sworn to secrecy.

Ron swallowed the constricting feeling that he always had when thinking about what that meant. He started to doze off, her small frame pulled into his arms. In the moonlight shining through the window, he was able to see that one streak of blue tucked behind her right ear that not even Hermione could spell away. It stood out well in her reddish-brown hair, that wasn’t exactly auburn but not quite ginger either. It was something all its own.

She was something all her own, Ron thought as he faded into sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love writing this one. I wanted to explore the Marriage Law cliche with Ron and Fem!Harry. I also wanted to explore the intricacies of a codependent relationship. I'd like to mention the codependency relationships are rarely (if ever) ever healthy, and some of that is explored here. 
> 
> I plan on focusing solely on this story once I have the first part of No Time To Breathe complete. (ch 19 coming next week for those who are interested in Fem!Harry/Charlie Weasley.)


	3. ii. Figure It Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There are things Mary leaves unsaid. There are things Hermione knows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess the artist of the song used as the title!

When Mary woke up the next morning, she was exceptionally groggy. A type of groggy that she despised because she was solely responsible for it. She heaved herself out of bed, peeling herself away from Ron’s warm and comforting embrace. He was still snoring away and would be for at least another ten minutes, or until he heard her moving around or the _Daily Prophet_ came.

With her wand in hand, she headed into the kitchen to start the coffee maker. She was fond of the choice she and Ron had made to live in muggle London, where they rather enjoyed the use of electricity. The coffee brewed the muggle way was much better than magically brewed, anybody that’d had both would be inclined to agree.

As soon as the stream of coffee began to pour down, she went into the restroom and double checked that the now empty vial of the dreamless sleep potion she’d taken last night was gone. She’d vanished it last night, she knew she did, but it didn’t hurt to check. Ron didn’t need to know she had taken it again.

Once she was reassured there was no evidence of the potion, she made her way to the living room where all their notes and files on the cases they’d worked on last night were strewn about. The corners of her lips quirked up as she saw stared organizing them. The point where Ron had gotten tired obvious in his handwriting. She tucked everything into their folders an into her bag, still pleases with their work from last night. They’d reduced the suspects in the Irish apothecary theft down to two. The only reason they’d gotten a case like that one was due to the products that had been stolen- ingredients for dark potions. But now Mary was certain that the shop owner had something to do with it.

Mary heard Ron shifting in his room, cursing at the owl tapping on the window. She laughed a bit to herself before headed back to the kitchen and pouring coffee into their favorite mugs. His was an orange one with a cartoon spider on it, purchased their first Halloween after the war. After a ridiculous amount of sweet cream was added, she turned to bring him the mug only to find he was stumbling into the kitchen, face pale with the _Prophet_ clenched in his hand. Her heart sank.

How could she had forgotten, even for such a short amount of time?

“Ron?” She prompted, setting his mug down.

“Read this,” He said, thrusting the paper into her hand and snatching his coffee. It was steaming, still extremely hot, but before Mary could warn him, he was gulping it down.

Her eyes flicked down to the paper. It was the front-page news, but it was a short article, formal and blunt.

**_Ministry Announces Marriage and Child Act of 2003_ **

_This morning, Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, announced the Marriage and Child Act Declaration, last enacted in 1775._

_ (For those who are not aware of the history of the turn to MCA, page 22) _

_Reinstating this act confirmed what we all suspected- the Magical Population is dreadfully low. It has only been used in the aftermath of wars and persecution. This iteration of the MCA is to ensure couples produce at least three children to guarantee magical blood is to be carried on, with the marriage chosen by the ministry for the most viable match. If the first of the children is not conceived within the first year of marriage, the couple may face arrest without medical exemption._

_Each eligible Witch, aged between 18 and 30, and Wizard, aged between 18 and 40, are expected to receive a match this coming Monday, 27 October. Appeals are being said to only be available for unmarried people if they have produced a child or are expecting one. Previously married couples are exempt from the law but must produce a minimum of three children._

_More information will be released as it becomes available._

Mary’s eyes widened. Three children? The first within a year? She’d failed to realize the implications when Kingsley sat her down- chances were, she would be pregnant this time next year.

She made a noise of disbelief and tossed the paper away as if it had burned her. Reality was setting in.

“Should we leave the country?” Ron asked, glaring at the paper.

“Only if we want our wands snapped,” Mary replied, voice tight.

“What’re we going to do?” He said, turning his gaze to her.

“We take what they give us,” She replied. If only he knew. Merlin, she wished she could tell him. He deserved to know.

“Don’t you understand what this means, Amaryllis?” He snapped.

She winced. He never used her full name, only when he was angry.

Seeing her discomfort, he grimaced. “I… I’m sorry Mary. I… I don’t know how to handle this.”

She knew what he meant. It wasn’t hard to guess.

“No matter what, we won’t let anyone separate us, Ron,” Mary said firmly, “I won’t let that happen.”

Ron seemed slightly relieved at her statement, if only for a moment.

“I doubt anyone is going to be okay with us sleeping in the same bed,” He pointed out.

( _You’re marrying me. You can stop worrying._ )

“Unless you get Hermione and I get George,” She said, “We might get lucky.”

Ron said nothing, choosing to hug her instead. His arms wrapped around her and she clung to him.

Mary realized that this was the first thing she’d ever hidden from him.

* * *

The day was moving slowly. It was like a fog had settled over the Wizarding World. Mary had already received a letter from Sirius, informing her that he’d be stopping by that evening. Ron had ignored the letters from Molly, not willing to open them and see the panic she had for him, Ginny, and George.

Ron had seen the cover of _Mage’s Murmurings_ on the desk of a secretary in the DMLE and had just about thrown a fit. Mary had grabbed him by his forearm and tugged him away. She couldn’t blame him though; she’d nearly lost it herself.

**_Who Will Win the Woman-Who-Won?_ **

Underneath the headline was a picture of her accepting her Order of Merlin, Ron and Hermione by her side. She looked so much younger in the picture. They all did.

Funny enough, up until yesterday, she’d felt younger than when that picture was taken.

Ron was hunched over his desk in their office, occasionally cursing to himself as he reviewed some reports. Reviewed was a generous word to use. It was more of staring at the papers and hoping that he would wake up from this. Mary wasn’t even trying to pretend.

“Amaryllis, Ronald,” A voice interrupted the unfocused anxiety.

Mary and Ron turned to see none other than Hermione in the doorway. She looked exhausted, with her hair a little more unmanaged than usual.

“Mione,” Mary grinned, feeling the slightest bit of stress fade away. She stood up and opened her arms.

“Mar,” Hermione smiled a bit and hugged her tightly.

“What’re you doing up here? The basement too mysterious for you?” Ron teased and gave her a small hug.

“Lunch. I figured you two would be a bit of a mess,” Hermione said, “I’m right. When was the last time you organized this madhouse?” She crinkled her nose.

Ron and Mary shared a look and they both shrugged.

“Hopeless, the both of you,” She rolled her eyes. The tension came back the moment silence fell over the three of them.

“So, what’d you think of the _Prophet_ this morning?” Ron asked.

Mary gave him an exasperated look. Hermione could only sigh.

“Well, I’m less than happy. But I wanted to check on you two.” Her face was full of concern.

Hermione had worried for her friends. While her and Mary were extraordinarily close, Ron and Mary had a relationship that no one could quite understand. When they were young, most thought it to be reminiscent of James and Sirius, or Fred and George. But as they aged, as it became apparent that Ron and Mary relied on each other in a more unique way, there was no other pair like them. Hermione had been willing, excited even, to move in with her two best friends once she finished what was considered her eighth year of Hogwarts. But then she realized that Ron and Mary’s little bubble had closed even more, that moving in with them would be an intrusion. There had always been something between them that Hermione didn’t understand, which was even more baffling upon the slaying of the locket with Ron. Hermione couldn’t say they were in love, but she could certainly say they loved each other in a way never before seen.

Hermione could remember their fight in fourth year. It had lasted all of two weeks before Mary broke down in her arms by the Black Lake, crying so hard she collapsed to the ground. Neville had been smart enough to run for Ron while Ginny and Hermione tried to get Mary to focus on breathing. Ron had turned slightly red in anger at the sight of Mary's mop of unmanaged hair, but the moment he heard her sobs and saw the anguish on her face, he was on the ground, pushing Hermione and Ginny away so he could hold her. It had taken ten minutes of whispers, words Hermione would never know, for them to be smiling at each other again. Ginny had pointed her wand into her brother’s face and made him swear to never hurt Mary like that again.

She would never know nor understand why they had found such tight, interwoven reliance on each other. It was obvious it had been strengthened by the war, but the origin was a mystery. All Hermione knew was that she felt fear for them when she read the announcement. When Mary began to date George, she was relieved- it had meant that Mary was with someone that would allow the relationship with Ron to carry on as it was.

But now?

There was no guarantee that Mary would be matched with George. Ron and Mary were facing something they’d never truly considered: separation.

“We’ll be fine,” Ron said, the foolhardy stubbornness in his voice, “The Ministry wouldn’t match us with bad people.”

“Ron, they’re matching people based on fertility and magical compatibility,” Hermione said bluntly as she sat down, “They won’t be looking for good relationships. They’re looking for people who will make the most magical children.”

Mary couldn’t help the small gag she made. Ron snorted and reached around her, grabbing her water for her. She smiled gratefully at him as she sat, scooting her chair close to his.

“At least you’re not an 18-year-old still in Hogwarts,” Hermione pointed out.

“Molly kept coming to our flat and replacing the fish that we couldn’t keep alive. What makes anyone thing I am remotely ready for a child?” Mary deadpanned.

“Wait, Mum was doing that?” Ron looked at her, baffled.

“Ron, we forgot to feed it for a week. How else did it stay alive?” Mary gave him an incredulous look.

He rubbed that back of his neck, “I dunno.”

“I don’t even know how you two stay alive,” Hermione rolled her eyes.

“We take care of each other,” Ron shrugged. He then reached into his desk, pulled out a pumpkin pasty, and handed it to Mary. She grinned broadly before digging into her bag and handing him a chocolate frog.

Hermione resisted the urge to roll her eyes again. “Did you two get Molly’s letter? We’re all having dinner at the Burrow tomorrow.”

“I didn’t want to open any mail this morning,” Ron said, pulling Mary’s legs into his lap, “But we’ll be there.”

“Sirius is coming by our flat by tonight with Teddy,” Mary said as she let him slip her hand into hers, “I think he wants to talk about the Potter and Black names.”

“We need to stop off at the store then, I need to get some candy if Teddy is over,” Ron smiled while Mary played with his fingers.

“There’s a reason Sirius won’t let you babysit and that is exactly why,” Mary laughed slightly. Ron squeezed her hand gently.

Hermione’s eyes flicked between Ron and Mary. Ron seemed fearful, worried. The way he clung to Mary, while not abnormal, was more than the usual. Mary, on the other hand, was calm. More than was of expected. It wasn’t the resigned kind of calm either. Mary was truly not upset. It wasn’t to say she was unworried, because she certainly was.

“Have you spoken to George yet?” Hermione asked, focusing on Mary.

Mary paled a bit. “No. I’m not quite sure what we’d even say, all things considered.”

Hermione watched Ron pull Mary into a silent conversation. She admired that about them, their ability to communicate as they did. It’d proven useful in battle, when they dueled and defeated the Carrow twins seamlessly with never having to say a word. It was also certain that whenever they found themselves in the field, chasing down dark wizards, they were seamless then too.

“I’ll tell her then. It’s not like it’ll matter on Monday,” Ron said aloud after several moments.

Mary opened her mouth to argue, but she was leveled with a stern look. She groaned and sank into her seat. Ron patted her knee and looked to Hermione.

“She’s planning on breaking up with George. Well, she was. May not need to now,” He explained.

Hermione’s eyes widened, “Why?”

“Don’t wanna be in a relationship,” She replied, stuffing a bite of the pumpkin pasty in her mouth.

“Looks like you don’t have much a choice anymore,” Hermione remarked.

“Just because I’ll have a husband does not mean that I will be in a relationship,” Mary huffed. Ron’s fingers intertwined with hers, trying to reassure her (and himself).

There was a certain fondness on Ron’s face directed at Mary. There always was. Just like the night they went to the Yule Ball together. Just like the day he cleaned Mary’s knuckles after she punched Lavender. Just like the moment their eyes locked when Voldemort had fallen. Mary was everything to him, to his very core. And after all these years, Mary still reciprocated those feelings.

“Think we can get off early today?” Mary suddenly asked Ron.

“Mate, I highly doubt anyone will say a word if we do. I need to make sure that we get candy for Teddy anyway,” Ron reached over and tugged gently on a lock of Mary’s hair. She gave him a warm smile.

“C’mon, Mione, we’re going to Diagon. The Leaky Cauldron’s fish and chips sound good,” Mary untangled herself from Ron and stood.

“Mary, I’ve got work…”

“Skive off today. We’re all about to get married to people we might hate. Who knows when the three of us will actually spend anytime together again?” Ron interrupted. He stood and grabbed Mary’s coat, wrapping it around her shoulders. His hand lingered on her upper back. The action was not lost on Hermione.


End file.
